HPRO5004 - Session 04 - DSDM

Which of the following is NOT stated as a benefit of using DSDM?

• User training becomes unnecessary

• The business is more likely to feel ownership of the solution as it evolves

• Deployment is more likely to go smoothly, due to the co-operation of all parties

• The risk of building the wrong solution is greatly reduced

Answer explanation

Nowhere in DSDM does it suggest User Training is unnecessary (the necessity of user training will depend on the project, not the Project Management Method). If you don’t know the answer, think through the 8 Principles – are B and C “Collaborate”? Is D “Focus on the Business Need”?

Which statement relates to the DSDM view on formality?

• The aim is to remove all formality, so that the team can get on with building the solution

• Agile must be informal, otherwise it stops being fun

• It is entirely formal, to enable management and control

• The DSDM process should be configured with an appropriate level of formality

Answer explanation

The answer is in Principle 8 – Demonstrate Control “Use an appropriate level of formality for tracking and reporting, allowing project-level roles to continually assess the viability of the project”. If you don’t know the answer, think through the 8 Principles – “Demonstrate Control” would suggest there is formality, so that eliminates A and B. You think of the underlying ethos of “common sense” and “pragmatism”. Does this suggest entirely formal, or some degree of flexibility? I would suggest D is the correct answer. DSDM words on Pragmatism: It is, however, unrealistic to expect everything within the areas of the business, the solution and the management of the project, to align in such a way as to be perfect for the application of DSDM in its entirety on every project. A pragmatic phrase associated with DSDM since its inception states “While you can use all of DSDM some of the time, you can always use some of DSDM” and it is the fact that DSDM is a flexible framework that allows this to be true.

Which roles form part of the Solution Development Team?

• Solution, Developer, Business Analyst, Technical Coordinator

• Solution Developer, Business Analyst, Business Ambassador

• Technical Coordinator, Business Visionary, Business Sponsor

• Technical Coordinator, Business Visionary, Business Analyst

Answer explanation

This one is a bit easier if you’ve studied, but again, should be able to get it down to a choice of two. Solution Development Team would include a Solution Developer, so that gets us focused on the first two. Now if we remember the roles, the Business Analyst role is one of the shared roles between Solution Development and Project Level, so it comes down to knowing that the Business Ambassador is one of the Solution Development Team roles, along with Team Leader and Solution Tester.

What role is responsible for ensuring that the solution delivered will enable the benefits described in the Business Case to be achieved?

• Business Advisor

• Business Analyst

• Business Sponsor

• Business Visionary

Answer explanation

This one is a bit easier if you’ve studied, but again, should be able to get it down to a choice of two. Here we’re looking at benefits realisation. This is something that will happen in the Post-Project Phase. If we don’t know the answer, we ought to recognise this is a senior influencing role. So we should be able to identify that it is either the Business Sponsor or the Business Visionary. The Business Sponsor is the most senior role on the project, and they are responsible for the Business Case and the Project Budget throughout the Project. However, the Business Visionary is more involved than the Business Sponsor and responsible for interpreting the needs of the Business Sponsor… they remain involved throughout the project, providing the team with strategic direction and ensuring that the solution delivered will enable the benefits described in the Business Case to be achieved.

In a DSDM project, what does the "W" in 'MoSCoW' stand for?

• Want this

• Won't have this time

• Would have

• Wish list

Answer explanation

Must Have <60% Should Have Could Have ~20% Won’t Have this time

In a structured Timebox when does the Solution Development Team seek to understand the Timebox objectives and accept them as realistic?

• Investigation

• Kick-Off

• Consolidation

• Refinement

Answer explanation

Again, if you don’t know the answer, you should be able to determine that it would be early in the timebox that acceptance of the objectives happen and eliminate Consolidation and Refinement. “The aim of the Timebox Kick-off is to: Review the Timebox objectives, as outlined in the Delivery Plan, to gain a common understanding of what is to be achieved…”

Which of the following statements about DSDM are true?

1. May be used to supplement an existing in-house Agile approach

2. Deals with the development & delivery of a product rather than the full project

3. Works alongside existing standards and approaches

4. Suited to the development of new solutions and enhancing existing solutions

• 1,2,3

• 2,3,4

• 1,3,4

• 1,2,4

Answer explanation

Yes – DSDM may also be used to supplement an existing in-house Agile approach, where this has proved to be lacking. No – DSDM has a broader focus than most other Agile approaches in that it deals with projects rather than just the development and delivery of a product. The project context requires a focus on the wider business need and on all aspects of the solution that evolves to meet that need. Yes – DSDM takes a pragmatic approach, recognising that it often needs to work alongside existing standards and approaches. Yes – DSDM is not only about developing new solutions; projects to enhance existing solutions are also well suited to the DSDM approach.

What in DSDM is designed to shape the attitude and mindset of a DSDM team?

• Phases

• Philosophy

• Principles

• Processes

Answer explanation

This appears to be a trick question, as you would immediately think Philosophy. However, “the DSDM Philosophy is supported by a set of eight Principles that build the mindset and behaviours necessary to bring the Philosophy alive”.

When, ideally, is the first instance that a solution should be fully tested and potentially deployable?

• At the Review stage of Deployment

• At the end of a Timebox

• On Deployment

• After Deployment

Answer explanation

DSDM says: Ideally, the solution will be fully tested and potentially deployable at the end of the Timebox, although it is acknowledged that they may not be achievable in all circumstances.

When does DSDM state that the Post-Project phase takes place?

• After Evolutionary Development

• Before the project is closed

• When the solution is assembled

• After the final Deployment for a project

Answer explanation

The objective of the Deployment Phase is to bring a baseline of the Evolving Solution into operational used. The release that is deployed may be the ultimate solution, or a subset of the ultimate solution. After the last release, the project is formally closed. The Post-Project Phase then checks how well the expected business benefits have been met.